Archives for : Mystery
Before the young Glee star passed away last July, he had finished production on the buzzed about crime-drama mystery, McCanick, where Monteith hits close to home by playing a drug addict. Fans of the late actor will enjoy a bitter-sweet performance, as Monteith is the best thing about this slow and slightly anticlimactic film. And I’m not just saying this as a biased “Gleek.”
Detective Eugene “Mack” McCanick (David Morse) finds out that Simon Weeks (Cory Monteith), a young criminal, has been released from prison. He sets off for a brutal manhunt along with his partner (Mike Vogel) who is in the dark about his intentions, and fails to get permission from the Chief of Police (Ciaran Hinds). His paranoia of Weeks exposing a secret from his past causes Mack to lose all morality and respect for the law. As he continues to search for Weeks, Mack leads his partner and himself down a dangerous and violent path.
I had hopes for this film given it was one of Monteith’s last. Monteith’s performance didn’t fail me, but the story and execution did. The beginning will intrigue audiences. The mystery of why Simon Weeks was in prison and why Mack cares so much that he is out will keep the film barely alive for an hour and forty minutes. There are a number of theories that will roll through your head as you watch. But one by one, as those theories become improbable, you are left with complete confusion until the very end. Sadly, once the secret is revealed, be prepared for disappointment and possibly even more confusion.
Morse does a decent job as the enraged detective hunting his prey. It is his unknown motive and all his actions before catching Simon that make you lack care and empathy for his character. He just comes off as a psychotic, dirty cop. Although, if the goal was to have you sympathize with Monteith’s character as a lost, orphaned druggy that has seemingly changed his ways since prison, then mission accomplished.
McCanick is more of a character development film rather than a thought provoking, interesting story. The past from both of the lead characters’ lives have molded who they are now. We are shown flashbacks of the two before Weeks’ arrest, giving more insight as to who these characters were.
I would refrain from having high expectations of this film. But for fans of Cory Monteith, McCanick will be a poignant reminder of how this rising talent passed on too soon; and that he was more than just Finn Hudson.
McCanick opens in theaters March 21.
Originally posted on RedCarpetCrash.com
Once again, Lifetime is reiterating the fact that you should never accept rides from strangers. Only this time they have taken a frightening and sympathetic route.
The film is based on the true story of a serial killer who went unknown for nearly 20 years killing dozens of women in Los Angeles beginning in the 1980s. Known as “The Grim Sleeper,” he would shoot or strangle his victims before having sexual contact with them. He would then take Polaroids of the dead, naked women and store them in his garage as keepsakes. The film follows LA Weekly reporter, Christine Pelisek (Dreama Walker), as she persistently investigates these unsolved murders. Things turn slightly more emotional when Christine finds out the families of the victims have no idea that their loved ones were killed by the same psychopathic murderer. Accusations of racial discrimination surface when it becomes known that the killer is targeting African American women. The victims’ families and Christine unite to finally push the police into finding “The Grim Sleeper” and put him to rest.
I particularly enjoyed this Lifetime murder mystery more than most for many reasons. The lead actors all performed remarkably well, especially the star of the film, Dreama Walker. Her portrayal as the feisty and amusing LA reporter was not only fun to watch, but touching as well. There was much more to her character besides getting a career changing front page story. She cared about the victims, and realized they all had someone that loved them. It was interesting to see a reporter care from the start, instead of halfway through their investigation where they “grow a heart.” The scene stealer was the man behind the eerie voice of “The Grim Sleeper.” I prefer not to say who played the role of the terrorizing killer. I know you can just look it up like I did before watching the film, but I recommend that you go in blindly if you haven’t heard anything about this story before.
Director Stanley T. Brooks did such an incredible job of keeping you locked in and dying to know “who done it,” that I would hate to spoil that reveal for you now. I will say that when you finally see “the sleeper” in the end shot, it is one of the most haunting faces that is almost impossible to forget.
There are a lot of elements to this film that will seem familiar to past Lifetime dramas; rape, murder, mystery, strong woman. But after a repetitive streak of the usual story-line, “The Grim Sleeper” stands out among the rest with actually succeeding in getting the audience to care and look beyond a crazy killer. We are reminded that every life matters, and if there is anything we can do to prevent actions like these from happening again, we should take them. An example of that action in this film was notifying the press. If you make enough “noise” somebody is bound to listen.
The film wasn’t perfect in every aspect. There are some forced relationships and a few subpar supporting actors, but it doesn’t matter. “The Grim Sleeper” achieves its goal as an entertaining and intriguing film that sends a valuable message.
“The Grim Sleeper” premieres Saturday, March 15 at 8pm ET/PT.
Originally posted on RedCarpetCrash.com
Academy Award winner Asghar Farhadi once again showcases his unpredictable and enticing storytelling skills in his latest drama thriller.
Four years ago Ahmed (Ali Mosaffa) left his French wife, Marie (Bérénice Bejo), and her two daughters from a previous marriage, to return to his homeland, Iran. Now he has come back to France to finalize his divorce so his wife can remarry. Upon his arrival, he comes to find out that Marie’s oldest daughter, Lucie (Pauline Burlet), can not stand the future husband to be, who also has his own son. As Ahmed begins to discover the reasoning behind Lucie’s hate, secrets of how Marie and her fiancée got together start to unfold; leading to one shocking truth after another.
I think it’s best to not go into too much detail of the events that occur in this film. The beauty and brilliance of the bilingual movie, spoken in both French and Persian, is how you are not able to figure out what will happen next. In fact, you will probably assume that you have the entire story pegged out already. It is definitely laid out that way in the beginning. But like his format in A Separation, Farhadi makes the audience suspect multiple scenarios while keeping them on the edge of their seats.
The Past features spellbinding performances by the entire cast, with a stand-out performance by Bérénice Bejo. Famously known for her role in The Artist, Academy Award nominee Bejo is even more captivating with sound. Alongside her remarkable acting is the exceptional direction. Farhadi not only writes a scintillating, detailed script without heavy dialogue, he also shoots his scenes in the most creative, yet subtle technique.
For anyone who enjoyed A Separation, I guarantee you will not be disappointed with The Past. Following the same style and tone, this film draws you in and keeps you guessing till the very end. The magnificent final shot will leave audiences experiencing various emotions when the last character that you would expect, sheds a tear.
Rated PG-13 for mature, thematic material and brief strong language.
The Past hits theaters on January 17.
Originally posted on RedCarpetCrash.com
After watching the trailer for the new horror film, We Are What We Are, I assumed I would be in for a mix of dark humor with a heavy amount of gore and disturbing images. I thought that there was no way this movie could be taken too seriously. But audiences should be delighted in the fact that director, Jim Mickle (Stake Land, TransAmerica), actually gives us a well-told story with a very serious and somber tone. We Are What We Are carries an unsettling feeling throughout the entire film without having to rely on an excessive amount of blood.
Set in a secluded small town outside of the Catskill Mountains, the film focuses on the Parkers, a reclusive but seemingly normal family. The story opens with a horrible accident in a huge rainstorm, causing the mother to have a tragic death. As if things weren’t bad enough, her death happens around the same time the family is just about to go through a religious ritual that has been performed by the eldest woman of the house for centuries. Still grieving over his wife’s death, the overbearing father played by Bill Sage forces his not-so-willing daughters Iris (Ambyr Childer) and Rose (Julia Garner) to take on the responsibilities of providing meat for their family; and not the kind you can buy at the market. As the family deals with their own transitions, they are unaware that their horrifying secret is in danger of being revealed.
We Are What We Are is a remake of a 2010 Mexican film that had somewhat of a following among horror fans. I have yet to see the original film. But from what I have read, co-writers Jim Mickle and Nick Damici have used the same premise and just changed it up a bit. The main change is the gender of the characters has been switched around. It was the father that died and the mother forces her son to carry on the awful tradition. Either way, I am now curious to watch the original just for the comparison.
Overall the entire cast gives surprisingly convincing performances. Ambyr Childers and Julia Garner carry this film. Being able to sympathize for their characters is what makes the movie so interesting. Often times when we see a horror flick, we have to endure villains that have no remorse for their actions, and you are just waiting for them to get their karma in the end. Your heart breaks for these girls as you watch their struggle. The whole time you are second guessing whether or not you should be feeling this way. You never truly know what these girls are thinking. On the other hand, there is no questioning what Bill Sage’s character is thinking. He does an amazing job as the controlling father who stands firmly by his “religious beliefs.”
The best part of this movie is the fact that you are never completely sure what is going on. You have an idea at times, but you do not know the whole story. And in all honesty the less you know about the details in the plot, the better. It’s the constant mystery that adds to the creepiness of the film. This a smart and serious story that may have some horror fans disappointed because of the lack of blood shed. Don’t get me wrong, there is still enough blood and graphic scenes that you will wish you didn’t see; just not so much that you lose sight of the originality and intelligence of the film.
Currently playing in select theaters!
We Are What We Are 2013 HD Trailer
Originally posted on RedCarpetCrash.com